Is Pharrell's Louis Vuitton Speedy Bag Worth the $11,000 Investment?

What a great way to start off 2024. After being unveiled on the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris back in June 2023, Pharrell’s debut collection as the Louis Vuitton men's creative director has finally arrived in stores. 

The Spring/Summer 2024 collection is full of highlights like a “Damoflage” fur coat, chunky-soled LV Trainers made of alligator-printed leather, and a varsity jacket with crystallized branding. But the colorful selection of speedy bags, which Pharrell reinvented, have elicited the most excitement. Red, yellow, green, blue, and classic brown colorways will be available in 25 ($9,300), 40 ($11,100), and 50 ($12,400) sizes. 

Pharrell’s bright Speedys are a nod to the knockoff LV bags that you can score by strolling down Canal Street in New York City. While these bags come with a hefty price tag, thanks to their calfskin leather construction, now you don’t need to buy a poorly-crafted fake to get something with a bit more character that dons the LV monogram. Pharrell has brought the creative spirit of bootleg culture to one of the world’s most storied fashion houses. 

We were able to get an up close look at the yellow Speedy 40 from Pharrell’s monumental collection ahead of its retail debut. Here are our first impressions.

First things first, I’m sure plenty of you are wondering how easy it will be to actually own one of these things. These bags were released officially on Jan. 4 along with the rest of the Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection. To mark the occasion, Louis Vuitton has opened up 50 temporary activations around the world that will exclusively showcase and sell the collection. The two US pop-ups will be stationed in New York City and Los Angeles and nod to the Pont Neuf with details like shimmering gold interior, Parisian-style street lamps and Damier checkerboard on walls. These bags are also available at select Louis Vuitton boutiques around the world. Online shoppers will be able to contact concierge services through LV’s web store. 

With all of those options, it shouldn’t be too hard to buy one, right? Well, not necessarily. These bags are some of the most coveted pieces from Pharrell’s first-ever collection for LV. Between VIP clients and waitlists, you may have to cross your fingers if you’re hoping to stroll into your local LV store and buy one. A lot of these (if not all of them) are probably accounted for by now. There’s always the aftermarket if you want to pay even more money. 

If you really want to flex and are lucky enough to be a VIP client at Louis Vuitton, the brand is also offering the Millionaire Speedys (like the amazing yellow one Pharrell has been carrying around), which come complete with diamond or pearl hardware that up the price tag to an insane $1 million. The Millionaire versions are made to order, so the only thing you need to worry about is your bank statement if that is the route you want to take. 

Pharrell set out to create a version of the Speedy that felt new and exciting. The most obvious way he did so was through the use of primary colors instead of the classic brown and tan. But the material selection is also important. The traditional Speedys are made of coated canvas whereas Pharrell’s Speedys feature supple grained calfskin leather. The liner also incorporates soft, brown lambskin leather instead of the usual textile. The upgraded materials come at a price increase. Traditional monogram Speedys will run you anywhere from $1,760 and $2,440 depending on size and customization. These ones start at $9,300 and go all the way up to $1 million. Quite a difference. 

That being said, you’re getting a high quality item. The photos truly don’t do these new Speedys justice. The leather is soft and buttery to the touch, not stiff and rough like the canvas is. There’s also a metal plaque sewn on the interior of the bag sporting a message from LV’s men’s creative director: “The sun is shining on us. -P.” It was created exclusively for these Speedys. You aren’t just paying a premium because of Pharrell’s attachment to Louis Vuitton. This LV Speedy actually delivers on the quality front.

One downside (to some people) will be that the premium leather takes away from the bag’s structural integrity. It naturally folds in certain areas when you carry it and sinks into itself when you place it down on a table or the floor. You should consider that a mark of excellent quality and not a downside, but we understand why some people would prefer the structure they are used to.

Pharrell’s Speedy is a statement piece. You’re going to turn heads if you tote this thing around. Louis Vuitton or not, it’s hard not to double take at a bright yellow or red handbag on the street. And that’s what makes these things so desirable in the first place. We never thought we’d see Louis Vuitton bags done up in colors like this. But we’d be lying if we said that a yellow Speedy is more practical than a classic LV monogram bag or something more neutral like black or white leather. This certainly isn’t an everyday bag. But to be honest, we’d be scared to ruin it so we’d only want to break it out on special occasions anyway. You’ll have to be a bit more careful with a leather bag anyway. Coated canvas doesn’t feel as nice to the touch, but it is a bit more durable than genuine leather will be due to its scratch resistant and waterproof nature.

As far as storage goes, this thing makes for the perfect carryon luggage. There is a zipper pocket and two additional compartments on the interior for smaller odds and ends like some AirPods or a cardholder. You can also fit a good amount of lighter clothes in here like T-shirts and hoodies, no problem. Just don’t try to squeeze in that bubble coat.

We got to look at the size 40 Speedy. It’s a bit on the larger side, but definitely not too big to carry as a daily bag if you wanted to. Just be warned that it’s all leather construction does make it a bit heavier if you’re going to be wearing it for an extended period of time. Here are the exact measurements in inches if you want them: 15.7 long x 10.2 high x 9.1 wide.

The Speedy 40 comes pre-packaged with a handful of accessories. There is a natural leather luggage tag, key bell, and adjustable strap. You also get a matching leather monogram pouch that hangs from a gold chain for a bit of extra storage or can be carried on its own if you prefer toting something a bit smaller (two bags for the price of one? What a bargain!). Both the bag and the accessories also come packaged in their own dust bags to safely store your lofty purchase between uses. 

These accouterments aren’t drastically different from what you’d get when you buy any expensive bag, but it’s still nice to know they weren’t left out.

There are a few ways to look at this. Realistically speaking, for most of us, spending between $9,000 and $12,000 on anything that isn’t a car or a downpayment on a home just isn’t sensible. Even my most frivolous impulse purchases don’t come near five figures. That isn’t to say I’m complaining about the price. I know what I’m in for when I’m shopping for Louis Vuitton. This isn’t meant for everyone. For most of us (myself included), the idea of an LV collection designed by someone as iconic as Pharrell is cool in theory but we won’t be filling our closets with all of our favorite pieces. Getting to see them in person or maybe try them on in the store will be good enough. 

The other way to look at it, this is an investment piece that you can hold onto and pass down for decades to come. Louis Vuitton has never made a Speedy bag with this leather quality in these colors. This is the hero item from Pharrell’s first collection with Louis Vuitton. It’s one of those things that collectors will be clamoring for years down the line. Just look at the value of bags from some of Louis Vuitton's past pivotal projects. "Monogramoflage" Speedy 35s from 2008's collaboration with Takashi Murakami retailed for $1,530 and are sold for $8,600 today. The Prism Keepalls from Virgil Abloh's first Louis Vuitton collection in 2019 retailed for $3,850 and have multiple sales in the $4,500-$5,000 range on StockX. In that sense, this is worth it if you can afford it and don’t mind essentially storing it away. 

The final way to look at it, you are someone who actually has the money to comfortably afford this bag. In that case, absolutely buy one and don’t think twice about it. This is a piece of history.